Television mounting systems

ABSTRACT

A mounting system capable of mounting objects to support structures. The mounting system includes a wall mount including a display bracket configured to hold the object, a fixed support bracket coupleable to a vertical support structure, and a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly has a low-profile stowed configuration in which the object is held in a raised position close to the support structure. The linkage assembly moves to another configuration to move the object. The object can be held in a lowered position. A biasing mechanism can facilitate convenient movement of the object.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/587,792, filed Jan. 28, 2022, continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/516,287, filed Nov. 1, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/370,841, filed Mar. 29, 2019, now U.S.Pat. No. 11,178,354, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/101,345, filed Aug. 10, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,277,860,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/851,510,filed Dec. 21, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,257,460, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/229,780, filed Mar.28, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,876,984, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/118,297, filed May 27, 2011, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,724,037, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/396,850, filed Jun. 4, 2010, which are allincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to mounting systems. Morespecifically, the invention relates to mounting systems for mountingobjects to structures.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS

The following U.S. patent applications and U.S. Patents are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties: U.S. patent application Ser.No. 17/516,287; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/370,841; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/101,345; U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/851,510; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/229,780, U.S. Pat. No.9,876,984; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/118,297; U.S. Pat. No.8,724,037; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/396,850. Theseapplications and patents are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

BACKGROUND OF TECHNOLOGY

Televisions are often mounted directly to walls using wall mounts.Tilting wall mounts and full motion wall mounts are two types of mountsthat allow movement of the television. Tilting wall mounts often allowtilting about a horizontal axis of rotation. Unfortunately, if tiltingwall mounts are installed at relatively high locations, there may belimited viewing because ideal viewing often requires that the center ofthe screen be level with a viewer's eyes. Full motion wall mounts oftenallow movement of the television away from wads, swiveling of thetelevision, and/or tilting of the television. If either a tilting wallmount or a full motion wall mount is installed above a fireplace, themounted television is often much higher than a sitting viewer's eyesand, thus, may not provide comfortable viewing.

SUMMARY

At least some embodiments are directed to mounts capable of holding andmoving objects. Mounted objects can be held at relatively high locationsto keep the objects out of the way when stowed. Mounted objects can beconveniently moved to a desired position.

In certain embodiments, a wall mount can hold an electronic display inthe form of a television. The wall mount can be installed above afireplace or other aesthetically pleasing location. A user can manuallyor automatically lower the television such that the television isgenerally in front of the fireplace. A viewer's eyes can be generallylevel with the center of the screen. The television can be panned,tilted (e.g., rotated about a generally horizontal axis), and/orswiveled (e.g., rotated about a generally vertical axis) to accommodatedifferent viewing positions. Pivots, swivels (e.g., swivel brackets),joints, or the like can be used to provide the desired motion. Thetelevision can range in weight from about 20 pounds to about 110 pounds.

A mounting system, in some embodiments, comprises a wall mount includinga bracket configured to hold an object, a fixed support bracketcoupleable to a vertical support structure, and a linkage assembly. Thelinkage assembly has a low-profile stowed configuration in which theobject is held close to the support structure. The linkage assembly ismovable to an expanded configuration to reposition the object atdifferent heights. A biasing mechanism can facilitate movement of theobject and, in some embodiments, can be in the form of a counterbalancemechanism.

In some embodiments, a wall mount includes a low-profile parallelmechanism in the form of a four bar linkage configured to store anobject at a raised, low profile position close to the wall (e.g., within5 inches of the wall). The mounted object can be moved away from theraised position along a path (e.g., an arcuate path, partially circularpath, curved path, partially elliptical path, or the like). The four barlinkage can include a fixed linkage that connects to a main load bearinglinkage through a pivot, which connects to an object mounting linkagethrough a pivot, which connects to an adjustable length linkage througha pivot, which connects back to the fixed linkage through a pivot. Incertain embodiments, the fixed linkage is a support bracket, and theobject mounting linkage is a display bracket.

One or more biasing mechanisms allow for controlled movement of themounted object. Biasing mechanisms can be counterbalance mechanisms thatare adjustable to vary balancing forces to counterbalance a wide rangeof different types of objects based on one or more criteria, includinguser preferences (e.g., a desired force required to move the object).Additionally or alternatively, a locking mechanism (e.g., a lockingknob, a clamp, a pin, etc.) allows the user to lock at least one pivot,thereby allowing the object to be kept at any desired position. A tiltsetting mechanism can be used to change the length of one or more linksto adjust the tilt of the object. If the object is an electronic displayheld at a relatively high position, a tilt setting mechanism can be usedto angle the electronic display downwardly such that a viewer's line ofsight is generally perpendicular to the screen. As the display islowered, the screen can be tilted to ensure that the screen remainsgenerally perpendicular to the viewer's line of sight.

As the display moves towards the raised or up position, one of thepivots can move past a line extending between upper pivots and lowerpivots, preferably pivots defined by a fixed linkage. Such anover-center configuration allows automatic locking of the mount into alow-profile configuration. A downwardly direct force applied to thedisplay will not cause deploying of the wall mount. However, the displaycan be pulled away from the wall to release the wall mount. For example,a horizontally directed force (a force directed away from the wall)applied to the bottom of the display can cause the wall mount to unlockand deploy.

A mounting system, in some embodiments, includes a four bar linkageconfigured such that the mounted object tilts backward as the objectmoves downwardly. If the object is an electronic display, the screen canbe substantially normal to someone looking at it, irrespective of theheight of the electronic display. As the electronic display is raised,the electronic display can tilt forward until the electronic display issubstantially parallel to the wall or at another desired orientation.

In some embodiments, a system comprises a low-profile wall mountincluding a display bracket configured to couple to a large screentelevision, a support bracket configured to couple to a wall, and alinkage assembly. The linkage assembly is rotatably coupled to thedisplay bracket and rotatably coupled to the support bracket. Thelinkage assembly includes a first link and a second link extendingalongside at least a portion of the first link when the linkage assemblyis in a collapsed, low-profile stowed configuration, and in an uprightposition, so as to hold the large screen television in a raised positionclose to the wall. The second link is configured to be moved away fromand substantially parallel to the first link as the linkage assemblymoves away from the collapsed, low-profile stowed configuration so as tomove the television to a lowered position which is close to a portion ofthe wall beneath the support bracket. The system further includes abiasing mechanism configured to counterbalance the weight of the largescreen television. The biasing mechanism includes a force adjustmentmechanism operable to increase or decrease a balancing force provided bythe biasing mechanism to counterbalance different weights of differenttelevisions.

The wall mount, in some embodiments, includes an upper outer pivotcoupling an outer end of an upper link of the linkage assembly to thedisplay bracket, a lower outer pivot coupling an outer end of a lowerlink of the linkage assembly to the display bracket, an upper innerpivot coupling an inner end of the upper link to the support bracket,and a lower inner pivot coupling an inner end of the lower link to thesupport bracket. An upper outer axis of rotation is defined by the upperouter pivot. A lower inner axis of rotation is defined by the lowerinner pivot. A lower outer axis of rotation is defined by the lowerouter pivot that is movable across an imaginary plane to move thelinkage assembly from the collapsed, low-profile stowed configuration toa deployed configuration to lower the television. The upper outer axisof rotation and the lower inner axis of rotation lay in an imaginaryplane when the linkage assembly is in the collapsed, low-profile stowedconfiguration.

In yet other embodiments, a system includes a low-profile mountingsystem for holding an electronic display. The low-profile mountingsystem includes a display bracket configured to hold the electronicdisplay, a fixed support bracket coupleable to a vertical supportstructure, and a linkage assembly rotatably coupled to the displaybracket and rotatably coupled to the fixed support bracket. The linkageassembly has a collapsed stowed configuration in which the linkageassembly is in a substantially upright position to hold the electronicdisplay in a stowed position, an expanded configuration in which thelinkage assembly extends substantially horizontally away from the fixedsupport bracket, and a lowered configuration in which the linkageassembly extends downwardly away from the fixed support bracket to holdthe electronic display in a lowered position.

In some embodiments, the linkage assembly can be positioned to define anangle of declination of at least about 5 degrees. For example, the angleof declination can be in a range of about 5 degrees to about 90 degrees.If the mount is positioned above a mantel, the maximum angle of angle ofdeclination can be about 60 degrees. Other angles are also possible.

The linkage assembly can be configured to substantially maintain a tiltof the electronic display as the linkage assembly lowers the electronicdisplay. In some embodiments, the electronic display remains parallel tothe vertical support structure as the electronic display is lowered. Inother embodiments, the electronic display tilts slightly as it islowered.

In yet further embodiments, a mounting system includes a display bracketfor holding a display, a fixed support bracket, and a linkage assembly.The linkage assembly is rotatably coupled to the fixed support bracketand carries the display bracket. The linkage assembly is reconfigurableto move a display held by the display bracket from a stowed position toa lowered position while keep the display in a substantially verticalorientation. A top of the display is lower than a top of the fixedsupport bracket when the display is in the lowered position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhausting embodiments are discussed with referenceto the following drawings. The same reference numerals refer to likeparts or acts throughout the various views, unless specified otherwise.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a television held by a mounting systemconnected to a wall.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a television installed above a fireplace.

FIG. 3 shows the television in a lowered position in front of thefireplace.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a mounting system, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the mounting system of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the mounting system of FIG. 4 .

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the mounting system with an upper armshown removed.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting system taken along aline 8-8 of FIG. 5 .

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the mounting system in a stowedconfiguration.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the mounting system in a deployedexpanded configuration.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a television in a loweredposition.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the stowed mounting system.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the stowed mounting system of FIG.12 holding a television.

FIG. 14 is a back elevational view of the stowed mounting system of FIG.12 .

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of the stowed mounting system ofFIG. 12 .

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the stowed mounting system holdinga television generally parallel relative to a wall.

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the stowed mounting system holdinga television tilted downwardly.

FIG. 18 is an isometric view of a mounting configuration.

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the mounting system of FIG. 18 ina stowed configuration.

FIG. 20 is a detailed view of a positioner of FIG. 19 .

FIG. 20A is a detailed view of the positioner in an extendedconfiguration.

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of the mounting system of FIG. 18 ina deployed configuration.

FIG. 22 is a detailed view of the positioner of FIG. 21 .

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of the mounting system of FIG. 18holding a television at a lowered position.

FIG. 24 is a detailed view of the positioner.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the mounting system of FIG. 18 .

FIG. 26 is a rear, top, and left side isometric view of the mountingsystem of FIG. 25 .

FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a mounting system, in accordance withanother embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a side elevational view of a motorized mounting system, inaccordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a mounting system in the form of a wall mount 100 carryingan electronic display in the form of a flat screen television 110. Acollapsible linkage assembly 130 is connected to a support bracket 140that is mounted to a support structure in the form of a wall 120. Thelinkage assembly 130 can swing upwardly (indicated by an arrow 150) ordownwardly (indicated by an arrow 152). An adjustment mechanism 146 isoperable to adjust a biasing force provided by a biasing mechanism toallow for controlled movement of the television 110. Once the television110 is at a desired position, the biasing mechanism keeps the television110 stationary.

FIG. 2 shows the television 110 in a raised, stowed position and veryclose to the wall 120. The wall mount 100 is hidden from view of someonein front of the television 110 for an aesthetically pleasing appearance.Advantageously, it may be difficult for small children to reach up andpull down on the television 110. The illustrated stowed television 110is positioned above a fireplace to avoid occupying usable space and toreduce the likelihood of unwanted inadvertent contact by people movingabout the room. If the fireplace includes a hearth, it may be difficultfor small children, or other individuals, to inadvertently contact thetelevision 110.

The television 110 can swing downwardly and, if desired, can bepositioned in front of the fireplace, as shown in FIG. 3 . The loweredtelevision 110 can be positioned very close to the front of thefireplace. Viewer's eyes can be generally level with a center of ascreen 160. The lowered television 110 is especially well suited forviewing when someone is positioned near the television 110, for example,to play a game system (e.g., Xbox 360, PlayStation®, PlayStation®2,PlayStation®3, Nintendo game system, or the like), or to provideconvenient viewing while sitting, for example, on furniture or on thefloor. After viewing, television 110 can be returned to the stowedposition.

Referring again to FIG. 2 , a top 132 of the stowed television 110 canbe angled forwardly such that the screen 160 is substantiallyperpendicular to a sitting viewer's line of sight. Alternatively,television 110 can be flat against the wall 120 (e.g., parallel to thewall 120) to minimize or limit unwanted reflections from the screen 160that may be directed to someone sitting on furniture in front of thetelevision 110, especially when the television 110 is turned OFF. Thewall mount 100 can automatically tilt the television 110 as thetelevision 110 moves vertically. As the television 110 is lowered, it istilted to keep the screen 160 substantially perpendicular relative tothe viewer's line of sight. Once the television 110 is at a desiredposition, the television 110 can be further tilted using a tiltmechanism, if needed or desired.

In some manually deployable embodiments, a user can conveniently graspand pull the television 110 away from the wall 120. The television 110will move forward a significant distance before it starts to move down asignificant distance such that the television 110 can be brought downand in front of a protruding object below the support bracket 140,illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 as a fireplace mantel 124. The top 132 ofthe television 110 can be lower than a top 141 of the support bracket140 and, in some embodiments, is positioned lower than a bottom 143 ofthe support bracket 140. One or more adjustable fixed stops can be usedto prevent contact with the mantel 124 or to achieve repeatablepositioning, or both.

The wall mount 100 can be coupled to a wide range of different types ofsupport structures, such as walls of a dwelling (e.g., a house, anapartment, etc.), an office, a lobby, a bar (e.g., a sports bars), orthe like and can be mounted to vertical walls or non-vertical walls,including, without limitation, angled walls, non-planar walls, or otherstructures sturdy enough to handle the load of the wall mount 100 andany attached object(s).

The television 110 can be, without limitation, a liquid crystal display(LCD) television, a plasma television, a light emitting diode (LED)television, or other type of flat screen television, as well as othertypes of wall mountable televisions. The weights of such televisions areoften in a range of about 20 lbs. to about 110 lbs. and often have amaximum thickness less than about 5 inches. Advantageously, large screentelevisions have a screen with a length (measured diagonally) equal toor greater than about 30 inches and can hide the entire wall mount 100,as shown in FIG. 2 . The wall mount 100 can also hold small or mediumscreen televisions. Other types of electronic displays (e.g., monitors)or objects can be carried by the wall mount 100. Exemplary mountableobjects include, but are not limited to, screens suitable for use withfront projectors, boards (e.g., a chalk board, a dry erase board, etc.),containers (e.g., a basket, a bin, or the like), or the like.

FIGS. 4-6 show the support bracket 140, a display bracket 210, and thelinkage assembly 130 that cooperate to define a four bar linkage.Support bracket 140 includes a pair of spaced apart elongate members170, 172, each including a plurality of apertures for receivingfasteners, such as fasteners 174 in FIG. 1 . As used herein, “bracket”is a broad term that includes one-piece or multi-piece structuralsupports configured to be coupled (e.g., fixedly coupled) to a supportsurface or structure. Brackets can be made, in whole or in part, ofmetal (e.g., steel, aluminum, etc.), composites, plastic, polymers,combinations thereof, or the like. In one-piece embodiments, a bracketcan be formed using a stamping process, a machining process, or thelike. In multi-piece embodiments, separate pieces can facilitatepackaging for shipping. The pieces can be assembled after unpacking.Other types of one-piece or multi-piece brackets can be used, if neededor desired.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , wall mount 100 is symmetrical with respectto a center plane 173 and, thus, may be described with reference to oneside. A main bearing member in the form of an upper link 176 isrotatable about an upper axis of rotation 180 defined by support pivots190. A pair of lower links 178 a, 178 b (collectively “178”) arerotatable about a lower axis of rotation 182 defined by support pivots192. The axes of rotation 180, 182 can lie in an imaginary plane whichis substantially parallel to the wall 120.

The upper link 176 includes a support end 200 and an opposing bracketend 204. Pivots 190 couple the support end 200 to the bracket 140.Pivots 211 couple the bracket end 204 to the display bracket 210. Theupper link 176 has a fixed length and a generally U-shaped transversecross-section taken generally perpendicular to its longitudinal axis177. Sidewalls 216, 217 are connected to an upper plate 218.

The lower links 178 are generally similar to one another and,accordingly, the description of one lower link applies equally to theother, unless indicated otherwise. The lower link 178 a includes asupport bracket end 222 rotatably coupled to the support bracket 140 bythe pivot 192. FIG. 6 shows a pivot 230 coupling the display bracket end224 to the display bracket 210 and defining an axis of rotation 183.

With reference to FIG. 6 , the link 178 a includes rigid slotted members232, 234 and pins extending through the members 232, 234. The slottedmembers 232, 234 are slidable relative to one another. An adjustmentmechanism in the form of a tilt adjustment mechanism 240 is slidablyretained in a slot of the member 232 and a hole in the member 234. Ahandle 242 can be rotated to lock and unlock the link 178 a. To lengthenthe link 178 a, the handle 242 is rotated counter-clockwise and themember 232 is slid away from the support bracket 140, as indicated by anarrow 246. The length of the link 178 a can be increased to rotate thedisplay bracket 210 clockwise (indicated by an arrow 254) about a tiltaxis of rotation 250 (FIG. 5 ) defined by the pivots 211. The displaybracket 210 can be rotated counter-clockwise about the tilt axis ofrotation 250 (indicated by an arrow 256) by sliding the member 232 inthe opposite direction. After the television 110 is in the desiredorientation, the handle 242 is rotated clockwise to securely hold themember 232 between the member 234 and the handle 242. The dimensions(e.g., the longitudinal lengths) of the slots can be increased ordecreased to increase or decrease the amount of tilt. Other lockingmechanisms can include, without limitation, one or more rollers, slides(e.g., linear slides), locks, clamps, pins, ratchet mechanisms, orcombinations thereof that cooperate to prevent, limit, or inhibitrelative movement between components.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , display bracket 210 includes a rail 270 andelongate arms 272, 274 hanging on the rail 270. The arms 272, 274 can beslid along the rail 270, as indicated by arrows 276, 277, 278, 279, toaccommodate different sized objects. Fasteners 275, 276 fixedly couplethe elongate arms 272, 274 to the rail 270. Fasteners can pass throughapertures in the elongate arms 272, 274 to hold the television 110.Other types of display brackets can also be used. The configuration,size, and design of the display bracket can be selected based on theconfiguration, size, and design of the television or other object to bemounted.

FIG. 7 shows the wall mount 100 with the upper link removed. A biasingmechanism in the form of a counterbalance mechanism 300 cooperates withthe linkage assembly 130 to allow a user to effortlessly move thetelevision to different positions but prevents or inhibits movement ofthe television when the user does not apply a force. The television canbe moved using a force that is less than a threshold force. Thethreshold force can be about 2 lbf., 3 lbf., 5 lbf., 10 lbf., or 20lbf., as well as any other suitable threshold force. In someembodiments, counterbalance mechanism 300 counterbalances the weight ofthe television and the weight of the suspended components in order toallow movement with a desired amount of resistance (e.g., a minimalamount of resistance, a threshold amount of resistance, etc.). Thecounterbalance mechanism 300 can include force balancing devices,illustrated as pistons 310, 320 rotatably coupled to the display bracket210 and support bracket 140. The pistons 310, 320 can be gas pistons,pneumatic pistons, or other type of biasing devices capable of providinga desired force, including, without limitation, a substantially constantforce, variable force, or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 , force adjustment mechanism 146 includes athreaded rod 330 held by holders 338, 340 of the support bracket 140.The rod 330 can be rotated to move a carriage 332 upwardly ordownwardly. The carriage 332 is rotatably coupled to the counterbalancemechanism 300 and can be in a first position such that thecounterbalance mechanism 300 is in a first setting or configuration toprovide a first balancing force. The carriage 332 can be moved to asecond position such that the counterbalance mechanism 300 is in asecond setting or configuration to provide a second balancing force thatis substantially different from the first balancing force. For example,the first balancing force can counterbalance a television that weighsabout 100 pounds wherein the second balance force can counterbalance atelevision that weighs about 40 pounds. Other types of force adjustmentmechanisms can include, without limitation, one or more motors (e.g.,stepper motors), linear slides, threaded rods, pulleys, combinationsthereof, or the like.

FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 show the television 110 in a stowed position, anintermediate position, and a lowered position, respectively. The linkageassembly 130 of FIG. 9 is in a substantially upright position. The lowerlinks 178 move away from and remain substantially parallel to the upperlink 176 as the television 110 moves away from the wall 120. FIG. 10shows the linkage assembly 130 in an expanded configuration andextending substantially horizontally away from the support bracket 140.FIG. 11 shows the linkage assembly 130 in a lowered configuration andextending downwardly away from the support bracket 140. Details of theillustrated positions are discussed below.

Referring to FIG. 9 , wall mount 100 has a relatively low-profileconfiguration to minimize a distance D between the television 110 andthe support surface 120. In some embodiments, distance D is less thanabout 8 inches, 6 inches, 5 inches, 4 inches, or 2 inches. Otherdistances Dare also possible. The upper link 176 and lower links 178nest together to provide a space saving and aesthetically pleasing lowprofile configuration.

As the television 110 is moved downwardly along a path 331, it can tiltbackwardly (e.g., rotate clockwise as viewed from the side) such thatthe screen is angled upwardly, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 . Thewall mount 100 can also be modified to be a five bar linkage to providesuch motion. The television 110 of FIG. 11 is especially well positionedfor viewers with their heads positioned slightly above the center of thescreen. Alternatively, television 110 can be moved along the path 331without appreciably changing the tilt setting. For example, the centergravity (CG) of the television 110 can travel along the generallyarcuate path 331 without appreciable rotation or angular displacement ofthe television 110. Thus, television 110 can be translated or rotated,or both.

The upper link 176 and lower links 178 can rotate about respective axesof rotation 182, 180 from about 130 degrees to about 180 degrees. Insome embodiments, the upper link 176 and lower links 178 rotate aboutthe respective axes of rotation 182, 180 about 160 degrees. If thetelevision 110 is mounted above a fireplace, upper link 176 and lowerlinks 178 can rotate about respective axes of rotation 182, 180 an anglein a range of about 90 degrees to about 160 degrees. Other angles arealso possible, if needed or desired.

FIGS. 12-15 show the linkage assembly 130 in a substantially uprightposition. The lower links 178 are alongside and laterally adjacent tothe upper linkage 176. FIG. 13 shows at least a portion of the lowerlink 178 a positioned in front of the upper link 176 as viewed along thelower axis of rotation 182. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , upper link 176is positioned between the lower links 178 a, 178 b. Such a nestedarrangement provides a relatively low profile to position the mountedobject very close to a wall.

FIGS. 13, 16, and 17 show the linkage assembly 130 in an over-centerconfiguration. The CG of the television 110 and the axis of rotation 183are on opposite sides of an imaginary plane 340. The lower inner axis ofrotation 182 and tilt axis of rotation 250 lie in the imaginary plane340. Gravitational force acting on the television 110 causes the pivots230 to be pushed towards the wall 120 to keep the linkage assembly 130in the stowed configuration. A locking mechanism 245, illustrated as alocking knob mechanism, can be tightened to ensure that the linkageassembly 130 remains locked. The locking mechanism 245 can comprise ahandle with a threaded member. The handle can be rotated to press thelink 178 against a portion of the bracket 210 to prevent or inhibitrelative movement between the link 178 and the bracket 210. In otherembodiments, the locking mechanism 245 can be in the form of a fine tunetilt adjustment mechanism and can include one or more gears, ratchetmechanisms, or other features that allow controlled tilting.

When the linkage assembly 130 is in an unlocked state, the bottom of thetelevision 110 can be pulled away from the support bracket 140 to movethe pivots 230 away from the wall 120 and across the imaginary plane340. Once the pivots 230 move across the imaginary plane 340, thelinkage assembly 130 is released, thus allowing lowering of thetelevision 110.

The lengths of the links 178 of FIG. 16 may be decreased to rotate thetelevision 110 counterclockwise about the axis of rotation 250 so as tomove the bottom of the television 110 rearwardly. The links 178 of FIG.17 can be lengthened to tilt the top of the television 110 rearwardly.In various embodiments, television 110 can be tilted an angle α (FIG. 17) of about ±5 degrees to about ±55 degrees. In certain embodiments, atilt angle α of about 15 degrees can be achieved.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show a mounting system 400 that is generally similar tothe mounting system 100 discussed in connection with FIGS. 1-17 , exceptas detailed below. A positioner 410 includes a base 416 and a movablemember in the form of an adjustment screw 418. The adjustment screw 418has external threads that engage internal threads along a passageway inthe base 416. A head 421 can limit travel of a pivot 412 along a slot430, illustrated in phantom line in FIGS. 20 and 20A.

Referring again to FIG. 19 , linkage assembly 420 is in a stowedconfiguration. Pivot 412 is forced towards a forward lower end 432 ofthe slot 430. As a display bracket 440 is moved downwardly, pivot 412can slide rearwardly and upwardly along the slot 430. FIGS. 21 and 22show the pivot 412 positioned at a rearward upper end 434 of the slot430. Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24 , pivot 412 is at the rearward upperend 434 of the slot 430. The load applied by a mounted object pushes thepivot 412 towards the rearward upper end 434.

The illustrated head 421 can be moved by rotating the adjustment screw418. By moving the adjustment screw 418 into and out of the base 416,tilt of the mounted object can be adjusted. For example, adjustmentscrew 418 can be moved outwardly away from the wall to tilt the displaybracket 440 rearwardly. The link 438 has elongate members 441, 443 thatcan be moved relative to one another to provide large amounts ofadjustment. A locking mechanism 443 can be tightened using a wrench orother tool to lock the linkage 438. In the illustrated embodiment, a pin445 extends through a slot in the elongate member 443 and a hole in theelongate member 441.

The positioner 410 can function as a mode of operation selector toalternate the mounting system 400 between a four bar linkage system anda five bar linkage system. As shown in FIG. 20A, when the adjustmentscrew 418 is in an extended position, pivot 412 is translationallyfixed. The mounting system 400 thus functions as four bar linkagesystem. When the adjustment screw 418 is moved into the base 416 toallow translation of the pivot 412 along the slot 430, the mountingsystem 400 functions as a five bar linkage system.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show a display bracket 480 rotatable about an axis ofrotation 482, illustrated as a vertical axis of rotation, defined by aswivel mechanism 483. The swivel mechanism 483 includes a pin 484 heldby a retainer 486 and mounts 490, 492. The mounts 490, 492 and/orretainer 486 can have slots, holes, or other types of features to allowdifferent types of pivoting or swivel action. The display bracket 480can be rotated to the left and right an angle β of about ±5 degrees toabout ±55 degrees.

Mounting systems can include any number of swivel mechanisms. Forexample, swivel mechanisms can couple links to the support bracket andcan couple the links to the display bracket. The number, positions, andorientations of the swivel mechanisms can be selected to achieve thedesired functionality. FIG. 27 shows a wall mount 600 that includes aswivel mechanism 624 that connects a linkage assembly 628 to a supportbracket 632. The swivel mechanism 624 includes a pin 638 held by a mount620. A retainer 630 pivots with respect to the pin 638 to rotate aboutan axis of rotation 610. The linkage assembly 628 can be rotated to theleft and to the right an angle θ of about ±5 degrees to about ±30degrees. Other angles are also possible, if needed or desired.

FIG. 28 shows an automated mounting system 700 that can be moved using acontroller 510 that communicates with a control device 720. A motorizedactuator 730 raises and lowers the television. The control device 720can include a receiver that is communicatively coupled (e.g., wirelesslycoupled, capacitively coupled, inductively coupled, or the like) to atransmitter of the controller 710. A control device 720 can storeinformation in memory and include one or more computing devices orprocessors. Memory can include, without limitation, volatile memory,non-volatile memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM),and the like. Stored information can include, but is not limited to,settings, weight of mounted object, or the like. Settings can include,but are not limited to, position settings (e.g., stowed positions,lowered positions, intermediate positions, or the like), times (e.g.,times to automatically move the object), or the like.

If the mounting system 700 is mounted above a mantel, the control device720 can be programmed to ensure that the mounting system does not strikethe mantel as a television is lowered downwardly past the top of themantel. At a predetermined time (e.g., after normal bed time), themounting system 700 can be automatically moved to the stowedconfiguration such that children cannot easily reach and pull on thetelevision the next morning. In some embodiments, mounting system 700can be automatically returned to the stowed configuration after thetelevision has been turned OFF for a certain period of time.

The control device 720 can be programmed to move the television 110 todifferent positions, each having a different indicator (e.g., number,code, etc.). The indicator can be entered using the controller 710.Additionally or alternatively, control device 720 can include inputdevices, such as a touch pad, a touch screen, a keyboard, or the like. Auser can use the input device to move the mounting system 700 intodifferent positions without utilizing any remote. If the control device720 is hidden behind a television, the user can reach behind thetelevision to access the control device 720 and position the televisionas desired.

Various methods and techniques described above provide a number of waysto carry out the invention. Of course, it is to be understood that notnecessarily all objectives or advantages described may be achieved inaccordance with any particular embodiment described herein and maydepend on the use of the mounting systems. Thus, for example, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that the methods may be performed in amanner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantagesas taught herein without necessarily achieving other objectives oradvantages as may be taught or suggested herein. Furthermore, theskilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of variousfeatures from different embodiments disclosed herein. Similarly, thevarious features and acts discussed above, as well as other knownequivalents for each such feature or act, can be mixed and matched byone of ordinary skill in this art to perform methods in accordance withprinciples described herein.

Although the invention has been disclosed in the context of certainembodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in theart that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosedembodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses and obviousmodifications and equivalents thereof. Accordingly, it is not intendedthat the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mounting system comprising: a fixed supportbracket; an articulating assembly configured to carry a television andincluding a television bracket movable between a raised position and alowered position, and a linkage assembly coupled to the televisionbracket and including an upper arm rotatably coupled to the fixedsupport bracket, a lower arm rotatable about an inner lower axis ofrotation relative to the fixed support bracket, and an outer membercoupled to the television bracket and rotatably coupled to the upper armand the lower arm, wherein the upper arm is rotatable about an outerupper axis of rotation relative to the outer member, wherein the lowerarm is rotatable about an outer lower axis of rotation relative to theouter member, wherein when the television bracket is at the raisedposition, the outer lower axis of rotation is spaced apart from animaginary plane extending through the outer upper axis of rotation andthe inner lower axis of rotation, and the television bracket extendsrearwardly past the outer lower axis of rotation toward the fixedsupport bracket; and a counterbalance mechanism including a biasingmechanism having an end rotatably coupled to the articulating assemblyand positioned higher than the outer lower axis of rotation when thetelevision bracket is in the raised position and the fixed supportbracket is coupled to a vertical wall, and a threaded rod configured tobe rotated to adjust a position of the biasing mechanism so as to adjustcounterbalancing provided by the counterbalance mechanism.
 2. Themounting system of claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a gaspiston configured to be angled away from a vertical position when thetelevision bracket is in the raised position, wherein the outer memberautomatically rotates relative to the upper and lower arms as thetelevision bracket moves away from the raised position toward thelowered position.
 3. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the biasingmechanism has a vertical wall end that is rotatable about an axis ofrotation that is translationally fixed relative to the fixed supportbracket when the television bracket is moved between the raised positionand the lowered position.
 4. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein thethreaded rod has an exposed head facing away from the biasing mechanismsuch that the exposed head is accessible to a user to allow foradjustment of the biasing mechanism.
 5. The mounting system of claim 1,wherein the counterbalance mechanism is reconfigurable to adjust anamount of extension, contraction, or both extension and contraction ofthe biasing mechanism.
 6. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein thethreaded rod is rotatable to extend and contract the biasing mechanism.7. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the counterbalance mechanismextends and/or contracts while the television bracket is moved betweenthe raised position and the lowered position.
 8. A mounting systemcomprising: a fixed support bracket; an articulating assembly configuredto carry a television and including a television bracket movable betweena raised position and a lowered position, and a linkage assembly coupledto the television bracket and including an upper arm rotatably coupledto the fixed support bracket, a lower arm rotatable about an inner loweraxis of rotation relative to the fixed support bracket, and an outermember coupled to the television bracket and rotatably coupled to theupper arm and the lower arm, wherein the upper arm is rotatable about anouter upper axis of rotation relative to the outer member, wherein thelower arm is rotatable about an outer lower axis of rotation relative tothe outer member, wherein the outer lower axis of rotation is spacedapart from an imaginary plane extending through the outer upper axis ofrotation and the inner lower axis of rotation when the televisionbracket is in a raised position; a counterbalance mechanism including abiasing mechanism having an end rotatably coupled to the articulatingassembly and positioned higher than the outer lower axis of rotationwhen the television bracket is in the raised position and the fixedsupport bracket is coupled to a vertical wall, and a threaded rodconfigured to be rotated to adjust a position of the biasing mechanismso as to adjust counterbalancing provided by the counterbalancemechanism; and a tilt adjustment mechanism having an unlocked state foradjusting tilt of the television bracket relative to the fixed supportbracket and a locked state for holding the tilt of the televisionbracket relative to the fixed support bracket.
 9. A mounting systemcomprising: a fixed support bracket; an articulating assembly configuredto carry a television and including a television bracket movable betweena raised position and a lowered position, and a linkage assembly coupledto the television bracket and including an upper arm rotatably coupledto the fixed support bracket, a lower arm rotatable about an inner loweraxis of rotation relative to the fixed support bracket, and an outermember coupled to the television bracket and rotatably coupled to theupper arm and the lower arm, wherein the upper arm is rotatable about anouter upper axis of rotation relative to the outer member, wherein thelower arm is rotatable about an outer lower axis of rotation relative tothe outer member, wherein the outer lower axis of rotation is spacedapart from an imaginary plane extending through the outer upper axis ofrotation and the inner lower axis of rotation when the televisionbracket is in a raised position; a counterbalance mechanism including abiasing mechanism having an end rotatably coupled to the articulatingassembly and positioned higher than the outer lower axis of rotationwhen the television bracket is in the raised position and the fixedsupport bracket is coupled to a vertical wall, and a threaded rodconfigured to be rotated to adjust a position of the biasing mechanismso as to adjust counterbalancing provided by the counterbalancemechanism; and at least one tilt adjustment mechanism including a memberslidably retained in a slot of the articulating assembly, wherein the atleast one tilt adjustment mechanism is rotatable between a tilt lockedposition for locking the member along the slot and a tilt unlockedposition for allowing sliding of the member along the slot.
 10. Amounting system comprising: a wall bracket configured to be coupled to avertical wall; an articulating assembly coupled to the wall bracket andincluding a television bracket configured to couple to a television,wherein the television bracket is movable between a raised position anda lowered position, and a linkage assembly rotatable about an outer axisof rotation relative to the television bracket and rotatable about aninner axis of rotation relative to the wall bracket, wherein the linkageassembly is configured to move a bottom portion of the televisionbracket rearwardly to be positioned rearwardly of the outer axis ofrotation when the television bracket moves rearwardly from the loweredposition to the raised position; and a counterbalance mechanism coupledto the articulating assembly and including a biasing mechanism rotatableabout a biasing axis of rotation relative to the articulating assembly,wherein the biasing axis of rotation and the television are located onopposite sides of an imaginary plane passing through an outer axis ofrotation and the inner axis of rotation when the television bracket isat the raised position, and a threaded member rotatable relative to thebiasing mechanism to move the biasing mechanism.
 11. The mounting systemof claim 10, wherein the counterbalance mechanism is rotatably coupledto the wall bracket.
 12. The mounting system of claim 10, wherein thebiasing mechanism has an end rotatable about the biasing axis ofrotation that is translationally fixed relative to the wall bracket whenthe television bracket is moved between the raised and loweredpositions.
 13. The mounting system of claim 10, wherein thecounterbalance mechanism extends and/or contracts while the televisionbracket is moved between the raised position and the lowered position.14. The mounting system of claim 10, wherein the biasing mechanismextends and/or contracts as the threaded member is rotated relative tothe biasing mechanism.
 15. The mounting system of claim 10, wherein thetelevision bracket includes arms defining the bottom portion, whereinthe arms are angled at least 5 degrees from vertical when the televisionbracket is at the raised position and the wall bracket is coupled to thevertical wall.
 16. A mounting system comprising: a fixed supportbracket; an articulating assembly including a television bracket, and alinkage assembly configured to move the television bracket between araised position and a lowered position, the linkage assembly includingan upper arm rotatably coupled to the fixed support bracket, and a lowerarm rotatably about a lower inner axis of rotation relative to the fixedsupport bracket, and an outer member rotatably coupled to the upper armand the lower arm; and at least one tilt adjustment mechanism includinga member slidably retained in a slot of the articulating assembly,wherein the at least one tilt adjustment mechanism has a locked statefor holding a tilt setting and an unlocked state for allowing sliding ofthe member along the slot to adjust the tilt setting of the televisionbracket.
 17. The mounting system of claim 16, further comprising apiston coupled to the articulating assembly, wherein the piston isconfigured to be angled away from a vertical orientation when thetelevision bracket is in the raised position, and wherein the piston ismovable past a horizontal orientation to move the television bracket tothe lowered position.
 18. The mounting system of claim 16, furthercomprising a threaded member rotatable to adjust televisioncounterbalancing provided by the articulating assembly.
 19. The mountingsystem of claim 18, further including a swivel mechanism coupled to thelinkage assembly and the television bracket.
 20. A mounting systemcomprising: a fixed support bracket; and an articulating assemblyincluding a television bracket, a linkage assembly configured to movethe television bracket between a raised position and a lowered position,the linkage assembly including an upper arm rotatably coupled to thefixed support bracket, a lower arm rotatable about a lower inner axis ofrotation relative to the fixed support bracket, and an outer memberrotatably coupled to the upper arm and the lower arm; and a tiltadjustment mechanism having an unlocked state to adjust tilt of thetelevision bracket relative to the fixed support bracket and a lockedstate to hold the tilt of the television bracket relative to the fixedsupport bracket.
 21. The mounting system of claim 20, wherein the tiltadjustment mechanism includes a rotatable member in a slot of themounting system, wherein the rotatable member is movable along the slotfor leveling the television bracket when the tilt adjustment mechanismis in the unlocked state.
 22. The mounting system of claim 20, whereinthe tilt adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of rotatable members,wherein the tilt adjustment mechanism is change from the unlocked stateto the locked state when all of the rotatable members are tightened. 23.The mounting system of claim 20, wherein the linkage assembly isconfigured to position a bottom portion of the television bracketrearwardly of the outer axis of rotation when the television bracketmoves rearwardly from the lowered position to the raised position.
 24. Amounting system comprising: a wall bracket configured to be coupled to avertical wall; an articulating assembly coupled to the wall bracket andincluding a television bracket configured to couple to a television,wherein the television bracket is movable between a raised position anda lowered position, and a linkage assembly rotatable about an outer axisof rotation relative to the television bracket and rotatable about aninner axis of rotation relative to the wall bracket, wherein the linkageassembly is configured to position a bottom portion of the televisionbracket rearwardly of the outer axis of rotation when the televisionbracket moves in a rearward direction from the lowered position to theraised position; and a counterbalance mechanism including a biasingmechanism rotatable relative to the articulating assembly, and athreaded member rotatable relative to the biasing mechanism to move thebiasing mechanism.
 25. The mounting system of claim 24, wherein thetelevision bracket includes a rail member, and a plurality of elongatearms configured to hang on the rail member.